La Grande Breteche.docx

La Grande Breteche.docx

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LaGrandeBreteche

LaGrandeBretechebyHonoredeBalzacTranslatedbyEllenMarriageandClaraBell"Ah!

madame,"repliedthedoctor,"Ihavesomeappallingstoriesinmycollection.Buteachonehasitsproperhourinaconversation--youknowtheprettyjestrecordedbyChamfort,andsaidtotheDucdeFronsac:

'Betweenyoursallyandthepresentmomentlietenbottlesofchampagne.'""Butitistwointhemorning,andthestoryofRosinahaspreparedus,"saidthemistressofthehouse.

"Tellus,MonsieurBianchon!

"wasthecryoneveryside.

Theobligingdoctorbowed,andsilencereigned.

"AtaboutahundredpacesfromVendome,onthebanksoftheLoir,"saidhe,"standsanoldbrownhouse,crownedwithveryhighroofs,andsocompletelyisolatedthatthereisnothingnearit,notevenafetidtanneryorasqualidtavern,suchasarecommonlyseenoutsidesmalltowns.Infrontofthishouseisagardendowntotheriver,wheretheboxshrubs,formerlyclippedclosetoedgethewalks,nowstraggleattheirownwill.Afewwillows,rootedinthestream,havegrownupquicklylikeanenclosingfence,andhalfhidethehouse.Thewildplantswecallweedshaveclothedthebankwiththeirbeautifulluxuriance.Thefruit-trees,neglectedforthesetenyearspast,nolongerbearacrop,andtheirsuckershaveformedathicket.Theespaliersarelikeacopse.Thepaths,oncegraveled,areovergrownwithpurslane;but,tobeaccuratethereisnotraceofapath.

"Lookingdownfromthehilltop,towhichclingtheruinsoftheoldcastleoftheDukesofVendome,theonlyspotwhencetheeyecanseeintothisenclosure,wethinkthatatatime,difficultnowtodetermine,thisspotofearthmusthavebeenthejoyofsomecountrygentlemandevotedtorosesandtulips,inaword,tohorticulture,butaboveallaloverofchoicefruit.Anarborisvisible,orratherthewreckofanarbor,andunderitatablestillstandsnotentirelydestroyedbytime.Attheaspectofthisgardenthatisnomore,thenegativejoysofthepeacefullifeoftheprovincesmaybedivinedaswedivinethehistoryofaworthytradesmanwhenwereadtheepitaphonhistomb.Tocompletethemournfulandtenderimpressionswhichseizethesoul,ononeofthewallsthereisasundialgracedwiththishomelyChristianmotto,'/Ultimamcogita/.'

"Theroofofthishouseisdreadfullydilapidated;theoutsideshuttersarealwaysclosed;thebalconiesarehungwithswallows'

nests;thedoorsareforevershut.Stragglinggrasseshaveoutlinedtheflagstonesofthestepswithgreen;theironworkisrusty.Moonandsun,winter,summer,andsnowhaveeatenintothewood,warpedtheboards,peeledoffthepaint.Thedrearysilenceisbrokenonlybybirdsandcats,polecats,rats,andmice,freetoscamperround,andfight,andeateachother.Aninvisiblehandhaswrittenoveritall:

'Mystery.'

"If,promptedbycuriosity,yougotolookatthishousefromthestreet,youwillseealargegate,witharound-archedtop;thechildrenhavemademanyholesinit.Ilearnedlaterthatthisdoorhadbeenblockedfortenyears.Throughtheseirregularbreachesyouwillseethatthesidetowardsthecourtyardisinperfectharmonywiththesidetowardsthegarden.Thesameruinprevails.Tuftsofweedsoutlinethepaving-stones;thewallsarescoredbyenormouscracks,andtheblackenedcopingislacedwithathousandfestoonsofpellitory.Thestonestepsaredisjointed;thebell-cordisrotten;thegutter-spoutsbroken.Whatfirefromheavencouldhavefallenthere?

Bywhatdecreehassaltbeensownonthisdwelling?

HasGodbeenmockedhere?

OrwasFrancebetrayed?

Thesearethequestionsweaskourselves.Reptilescrawloverit,butgivenoreply.Thisemptyanddesertedhouseisavastenigmaofwhichtheanswerisknowntonone.

"Itwasformerlyalittledomain,heldinfief,andisknownasLaGrandeBreteche.DuringmystayatVendome,whereDespleinshadleftmeinchargeofarichpatient,thesightofthisstrangedwellingbecameoneofmykeenestpleasures.Wasitnotfarbetterthanaruin?

Certainmemoriesofindisputableauthenticityattachthemselvestoaruin;butthishouse,stillstanding,thoughbeingslowlydestroyedbyanavenginghand,containedasecret,anunrevealedthought.Attheveryleast,ittestifiedtoacaprice.MorethanonceintheeveningIboardedthehedge,runwild,whichsurroundedtheenclosure.Ibravedscratches,Igotintothisownerlessgarden,thisplotwhichwasnolongerpublicorprivate;Ilingeredthereforhoursgazingatthedisorder.Iwouldnot,asthepriceofthestorytowhichthisstrangescenenodoubtwasdue,haveaskedasinglequestionofanygossipingnative.OnthatspotIwovedelightfulromances,andabandonedmyselftolittledebauchesofmelancholywhichenchantedme.IfIhadknownthereason--perhapsquitecommonplace--ofthisneglect,Ishouldhavelosttheunwrittenpoetrywhichintoxicatedme.Tomethisrefugerepresentedthemostvariousphasesofhumanlife,shadowedbymisfortune;sometimesthepeaceofthegraveyardwithoutthedead,whospeakinthelanguageofepitaphs;onedayIsawinitthehomeoflepers;another,thehouseoftheAtridae;but,aboveall,Ifoundthereprovinciallife,withitscontemplativeideas,itshour-glassexistence.Ioftenweptthere,Ineverlaughed.

"MorethanonceIfeltinvoluntaryterrorsasIheardoverheadthedullhumofthewingsofsomehurryingwood-pigeon.Theearthisdank;youmustbeonthewatchforlizards,vipers,andfrogs,wanderingaboutwiththewildfreedomofnature;aboveall,youmusthavenofearofcold,forinafewmomentsyoufeelanicycloaksettleonyourshoulders,liketheCommendatore'shandonDonGiovanni'sneck.

"OneeveningIfeltashudder;thewindhadturnedanoldrustyweathercock,andthecreakingsoundedlikeacryfromthehouse,attheverymomentwhenIwasfinishingagloomydramatoaccountforthismonumentalembodimentofwoe.Ireturnedtomyinn,lostingloomythoughts.WhenIhadsupped,thehostesscameintomyroomwithanairofmystery,andsaid,'Monsieur,hereisMonsieurRegnault.'

"'WhoisMonsieurRegnault?

'

"'What,sir,doyounotknowMonsieurRegnault?

--Well,that'sodd,'

saidshe,leavingtheroom.

"OnasuddenIsawamanappear,tall,slim,dressedinblack,hatinhand,whocameinlikearamreadytobutthisopponent,showingarecedingforehead,asmallpointedhead,andacolorlessfaceofthehueofaglassofdirtywater.Youwouldhavetakenhimforanusher.

Thestrangerworeanoldcoat,muchwornattheseams;buthehadadiamondinhisshirtfrill,andgoldringsinhisears.

"'Monsieur,'saidI,'whomhaveIthehonorofaddressing?

'--Hetookachair,placedhimselfinfrontofmyfire,puthishatonmytable,andansweredwhileherubbedhishands:

'Dearme,itisverycold.--Monsieur,IamMonsieurRegnault.'

"Iwasencouragingmyselfbysayingtomyself,'/Ilbondocani!

/Seek!

'

"'Iam,'hewenton,'notaryatVendome.'

"'Iamdelightedtohearit,monsieur,'Iexclaimed.'ButIamnotinapositiontomakeawillforreasonsbestknowntomyself.'

"'Onemoment!

'saidhe,holdinguphishandasthoughtogainsilence.'Allowme,monsieur,allowme!

IaminformedthatyousometimesgotowalkinthegardenoflaGrandeBreteche.'

"'Yes,monsieur.'

"'Onemoment!

'saidhe,repeatinghisgesture.'Thatconstitutesamisdemeanor.Monsieur,asexecutorunderthewillofthelateComtessedeMerret,Icomeinhernametobegyoutodiscontinuethepractice.

Onemoment!

IamnotaTurk,anddonotwishtomakeacrimeofit.

Andbesides,youarefreetobeignorantofthecircumstanceswhichcompelmetoleavethefinestmansioninVendometofallintoruin.

Nevertheless,monsieur,youmustbeamanofeducation,andyoushouldknowthatthelawsforbid,underheavypenalties,anytrespassonenclosedproperty.Ahedgeisthesameasawall.But,thestateinwhichtheplaceisleftmaybeanexcuseforyourcuriosity.Formypart,Ishouldbequitecontenttomakeyoufreetocomeandgointhehouse;butbeingboundtorespectthewillofthetestatrix,Ihavethehonor,monsieur,tobegthatyouwillgointothegardennomore.

Imyself,monsieur,sincethewillwasread,haveneversetfootinthehouse,which,asIhadthehonorofinformingyou,ispartoftheestateofthelateMadamedeMerret.WehavedonenothingtherebutverifythenumberofdoorsandwindowstoassessthetaxesIhavetopayannuallyoutofthefundsleftforthatpurposebythelateMadamedeMerret.Ah!

mydearsir,herwillmadeagreatcommotioninthetown.'

"Thegoodmanpausedtoblowhisnose.Irespectedhisvolubility,perfectlyunderstandingthattheadministrationofMadamedeMerret'sestatehadbeenthemostimportanteventofhislife,hisreputation,hisglory,hisRestoration.AsIwasforcedtobidfarewelltomybeautifulreveriesandromances,Iwastorejectlearningthetruthonofficialauthority.

"'Monsieur,'saidI,'woulditbeindiscreetifIweretoaskyouthereasonsforsucheccentricity?

'

"Atthesewordsanexpression,whichrevealedallthepleasurewhichmenfeelwhoareaccustomedtorideahobby,overspreadthelawyer'scountenance.Hepulledupthecollarofhisshirtwithanair,tookouthissnuffbox,openedit,andofferedmeapinch;onmyrefusing,hetookalargeone.Hewashappy!

Amanwhohasnohobbydoesnotknowallthegoodtobegotoutoflife.Ahobbyisthehappymediumbetweenapassionandamonomania.AtthismomentIunderstoodthewholebearingofSterne'scharmingpassion,andhadaperfectideaofthedelightwithwhichmyuncleToby,encouragedbyTrim,bestrodehishobby-horse.

"'Monsieur,'saidMonsieurRegnault,'Iwashead-clerkinMonsieurRoguin'soffice,inParis.Afirst-ratehouse